What Hispanics Don’t Know About Great, Available Jobs

Do you know what are the top five most available, great paying jobs in the U.S.?

I used to run career development programs used by millions of people across America. In that job, I was able to analyze millions of data points — including chief issues people encounter in their job searches, and what solutions actually work for them.

And what I found is that few people, and particularly Hispanics, knew basic truths about finding good jobs. Consequently, they continued to have trouble finding them.

First, when I asked a Latino or Latina applicant what good jobs were always available, they gave partial answers (doctors! lawyers!), but they rarely knew which jobs are actually themost available. And isn’t it good to know whether there are tens of thousands of opportunities in the job category you want — or just a few?

I would want to know.

It makes a big difference to know whether something just exists — somewhere — and whether it is actually attainable with a reasonable amount of effort. Sure, someone somewhere can break their backs to get that one job, but what about everyone else? Everyone needs a good job! And not all of us can sacrifice everything and anything to get it.

So, can you name the top five most available, great paying jobs in the U.S.?

Nurses, general/operations managers, accountants/auditors, software programmers, and management analysts are the top 5. Each one requires only a bachelor’s degree — no advanced degree required. With some junior college and night classes here and there, and a student loan or two, anyone can obtain a bachelor’s degree and land one of these great jobs.

They have millions of openings, every year!

Bet you didn’t know that. (I didn’t either, until I did this study.)

This is important. Knowing the availability of jobs can make all the difference between setting a goal that is wildly unrealistic, or setting a goal that is very attainable. And if you set attainable goals, you’ll find yourself more motivated to achieve them — and then to achieve even tougher goals later.

Next comes the second most common issue I found. Let’s say you know the attainable, good jobs, and you want one — like a position in management.

You would never guess what I consistently found, even in the smartest, most qualified people.

One older gentleman once asked to meet with me to discuss a management job he applied for but didn’t get.

“I think they discriminated against me because of my age,” he told me.

My response? “Well, that’s always a possibility, but why don’t we look at your résumé and see what you put there?” I said. “Maybe there’s another answer.”

I looked at his résumé and saw very impressive, technical skills. But I didn’t see any mention of managerial skills.

“When they hire a manger, what kind of skills do you think they might be looking for?” I asked him. He was able to list a few.

“I don’t see these on your résumé,” I said.

“Oh,” he said. Then he went quiet.

He understood what I was getting at — you have to know what skills the job requires, and your résumé has to show that you have those skills. His didn’t do that, in spite of his incredible intelligence. Instead, he blamed discrimination.

When I speak with Hispanic communities, as I frequently do, I consistently find those two issues: first, not knowing the good, available jobs to apply for, and second, not recognizing and listing the requisite skills on one’s résumé.

Once you know those two truths, you’re well on your way to finding — and landing — a great job.

Andre Castillo provides business and negotiation consultation to tech and educational startups. Previously, Andre led award-winning human capital programs for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He received his master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and his bachelor’s degree from California State University. He expects to complete his law degree from the University of San Diego in May 2018. Andre joined TFL as contributor in June 2017.